In Moga, drug mafia takes to sand mining

Kulwinder Sandhu

Tribune News Service

Moga, November 30

The drug mafia in the district’s Daulewala villages has now turned to illegal sand mining on village common land and a few private properties.

A recent visit to the village brought out that a portion of panchayat land on the Maseetan link road has been robbed off its fertility. The land, where wheat and paddy were sown for several years, has now turned barren with deep trenches as a result of illegal sand mining.

The land where two ponds were to be constructed has deep trenches. Grants were received for the ponds, but they never constructed. The movement of trucks and trailers laden with sand has damaged streets in the village.

Ranjit Kaur, a village resident, said: “Drug smugglers of Daulewala village have started the illegal mining business by roping in many jobless drug addicts.”

Daulewala sarpanch Gurmeet Kaur refused to say anything on illegal mining. All he said was the panchayat had approved the construction of two ponds, but the work was pending due to the “interference” of Congress leaders.

A senior official of the Rural Development and Panchayat Department said, “Jagir Singh, BDPO, Kot-ise-Khan block, has been asked to inquire into illegal sand mining on common land.” The BDPO could not be contacted in spite of repeated attempts.